The Play
by Prospero's Pal
Summary: Finished! The final chapters are now posted and the story is complete. A mean-spirited prank has devastating consequences.
1. Chapter 1

Everyone was uneasy and uncomfortable. Heavy, dark clouds were coming in fast from the south and the August humidity was almost unbearable. Malcolm Wilkerson felt lightheaded and tugged at his tie. He stripped off the lightweight sports coat his mother had forced him to wear and tossed it on the ground. That felt better but his shirt was completely soaked and plastered to his skinny body. His eyes went in and out of focus and the priest's words were an unintelligible garble.

Suddenly everyone was looking at him, expecting something from him. His bleary-eyed dad took him by the hand and led him to the edge of the open grave. Hal Wilkerson bent down and picked up a handful of the freshly turned dirt, gesturing for Malcolm to do the same. After several awkward seconds, Malcolm followed his father's lead and tossed the dirt on top of the coffin as the heavy nylon straps lowered it into the ground.

"Man has but a short while in this life. He cometh up in full vigor of his youth, and is cut down like a flower; he flees from the world as it were a shadow, never to continue in his stay amongst his kin."

Malcolm had the sensation of being in a play, this was all make believe and soon he could go home, they could all just go home and be happy. The guy playing the priest was really pretty good, he thought, maybe a little young for the part, and an Irish accent would have been nice. The holy man took a handful of dirt and tossed it in just as the coffin came to rest on the bottom of the surprisingly deep hole; Malcolm wondered if it really was six feet deep.

"In the Name of the Father, the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, we commit the body of your servant, Reese Andrew Wilkerson to the ground; earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust; in sure and certain hope of the Resurrection. In Christ's Holy Name, Amen."

Something snapped inside Malcolm's head. Everything made sudden and terrible sense. This was no play. He sobbed with a heart-rending passion that touched the souls of everyone there. He fell to his knees and stared into the gaping hole that contained the mortal remains of his brother. "I'm sorry, Reese, I'm so fucking sorry!" Malcolm sat in the dirt and cried, pushing away anyone who tried to help him up.


	2. Chapter 2

A month earlier.

Malcolm walked into the bedroom and saw Reese hide something under his pillow just as he entered. The older boy sat innocently on his bed, trying his best to look casual.

"I saw you hide something."Malcolm grinned with anticipation. "What is it, porn, money, candy? Come on, share!"

Reese ignored his brother's questions. "Oh hello, Malcolm, did you have a nice day?"

Malcolm sat down next to Reese and tried to coax the secret out of him. "You know I'm going to find out sooner or later so why not just show me what you're hiding now?"

The two boys made eye contact but Reese quickly looked away, he knew what was coming. He tried to protect himself but Malcolm reached out and tickled his brother's ribs, producing a fit of laughter. "Come, on, Reese, who's your buddy? " Malcolm tickled him relentlessly.

Reese rolled around on his bed laughing hysterically, trying to escape the skillful fingers. Developed over many years, Malcolm knew he could use this technique to make his brother do anything. For all of his bravado and tough-guy personality, Reese was extremely ticklish and could be reduced to a giggling mess within seconds. Ever since they were little, Malcolm had used this knowledge to get his way with his slightly older, larger and much meaner brother.

He sat on top of Reese and pulled his shirt up so he could tickle his bare skin. He admired his brother's flat stomach and found himself rubbing both his hands flat against the warm flesh. Before he realized it, he was aroused and felt the pressure between his legs pushing against the fabric of his jeans. Malcolm pulled his brother's shirt back down and climbed off.

Reese composed himself and sat up, his laughter died out but erupted again in a chuckle a few seconds later. He took a deep breath and looked at Malcolm. "It's not a big deal, man. I just didn't want you making fun of me. You're going to be disappointed."

"Well? Let me see!" Reese sighed and retrieved a small paperback book from under his pillow. He handed it to his brother. The cover had a drawing of what looked like a hurricane and bold black letters spelling out "The Tempest by William Shakespeare."

"Shakespeare? Why would you hide this? I assume it's for school." Malcolm flipped through the pages hoping to discover naked pictures or cash hidden between the pages but there was nothing there, just words, lots and lots of words. "I don't get why you were hiding this. Did Mrs. Reynolds assign it to your lit class?"

Reese was obviously flustered. He looked away and then he looked down at his feet. He had kicked off his sneakers as soon as he had gotten home from school. He hadn't noticed it before but there was a large hole in his right sock and his big toe was sticking out. Tired of waiting for an answer, Malcolm raised his hands and wiggled his fingers. Reese got the hint and spoke.

"It's not for lit class. It's for a play the community theater is putting on. Mrs. Reynolds said I could get extra credit and actually pass her course if I auditioned for it." Reese stared at his feet, fascinated by his exposed toe.

"That's it? That's your big secret?" Malcolm was surprised his brother would actually audition for a play but he was disappointed there wasn't something more interesting hidden under the pillow. "I wasted all that good tickling for this?" He flipped through the thin book again and tossed it back to his brother.

Reese caught it and blushed. "Just don't tease me about it, ok?"

Malcolm of course felt an overwhelming urge to mercilessly tease his brother but he took pity on him. "Ok, no teasing. Which part are you trying out for?"

"Well, Mrs. Reynolds said there's this magical dude with special powers. She said I should try out for that. He's really sneaky and mischievous and she said I would be perfect for the role."

Reese blushed again and Malcolm wondered what exactly was causing him to act so weirdly. He took the book from his brother and opened it to the page headed "Dramatis Personae." He quickly skimmed the page and found the role Reese was talking about.

"Ariel: A spirit of the air, a fairy." It was suddenly clear. Malcolm bit his tongue but it didn't help. A huge belly laugh escaped from him. "You … you … you're auditioning to be a FAIRY?" Malcolm fell back on his brother's bed and laughed so hard his eyes started watering. "Big bad Reese wants to be a fairy!" He laughed again and realized he had just broken his promise not to tease, he didn't care. "Oh god that's funny! Are you going to have a little pink fairy wand and a little pink fairy dress and prance around the stage?" He rolled around laughing, he only stopped when he heard Reese stand up and walk away. Malcolm looked up just as his brother went into the bathroom and slammed the door shut.

"Oh crap," Malcolm thought, "I hurt his feelings."


	3. Chapter 3

Two weeks later and after an absurd amount of teasing by Malcolm, Reese was ready for his audition. Contrary to what he had told his brother, Reese really wanted to do well and get the part. He had read the entire play twice and had memorized several of Ariel's speeches. Reese had never been in a play before but he had always wanted to try out. His lack of confidence and deep rooted belief that he was too stupid to pull it off kept him from trying, until now.

The part of Ariel was really pretty cool and the whole play centered on him and his magical powers. The director said they could read from the book but Reese knew the speech that he wanted to use for the audition by heart. There was only one other guy trying out for the part and he sucked. Reese did something he never did. He said a prayer. He really, really, wanted to get the part.

"Reese Wilkerson," the director called out.

"Here, sir!" Reese quickly scrambled up the steps to the stage and stood proudly at the front. He looked out at the hundreds of seats and imagined them full of people; he imagined all the pretty stage lights shining different colors and a big white spotlight aimed directly at him. Reese felt proud, he felt alive, and he felt at that moment that he could do anything.

"I'm auditioning for the role of Ariel. This is from Act I, Scene II. Ariel is reporting to his master." Reese spoke in a loud, clear, and very nice tenor voice, a subtle mix of boy and man. He hit every inflection perfectly and recited the lines without a single mistake, the rhythm of the words made it almost seem like he was singing. He gestured in all the appropriate places and made direct eye contact with the director as he delivered his final line.

"Hell is empty and all the devils are here!"

Reese looked down as soon as he was finished. His old fears and lack of confidence came flooding back as he realized there was dead silence in the theater. Reese knew he had sucked and he felt like he might cry. This wasn't like school, he had tried so hard to do this right and he had fucked it up. He started to leave the stage when he heard clapping. He looked up. The director and his assistant were standing and applauding. Reese was stunned. He wondered briefly if they were mocking him.

"Well done, young man, well done! That was absolutely perfect! You have the role!" The pudgy middle aged man lumbered up the steps and walked over to Reese and shook his hand enthusiastically.

"What's your name again?"

"Reese. Reese Wilkerson. I'm glad you liked it, sir."

Reese grinned from ear to ear. Nothing could wreck this for him, not even Malcolm's teasing. He suddenly wished that his smart assed little brother had come to the audition with him, he wanted to show him he could do something right and that he wasn't just a big dumb bully. For maybe the first time in his life, Reese felt a deep pride in something he had accomplished. Nothing could ruin this for him, or so he thought.

Mr. Howard, the director, fawned over Reese. He playfully rubbed his hair and admired his straight back and broad shoulders. He asked his assistant, who was also in charge of the play's wardrobe, what she thought about the boy's physique.

"Oh he'll look stunning in a unitard."

"WHAT?" Reese was screaming inside his head, did that old bag just say unitard?"

"I agree, take him away and see what you have in his size, flesh colored of course." The director turned to walk away when Reese spoke up.

"Excuse me, sir. Am I supposed to wear a UNITARD?"

"Yes, of course. Actually the part of Ariel is often performed nude but they don't allow us to do nudity in this hick town." Mr. Howard looked Reese over from head to toe, he had him turn around and then back again. He smiled. "You have a fine figure, son, you will look outstanding."

"But sir, a unitard?" Reese was on the verge of panic.

"If you want the role it's yours but you have to wear the costume. Now go with Mrs. Clark and let her do her job."

"Yes sir." Reese followed the old woman and thought it couldn't be that bad; maybe it would be baggy or too big or something and with his boxer shorts on nobody will be able to see anything. It couldn't be that bad, he thought.

He was wrong.


	4. Chapter 4

Malcolm tried to open the door to his room but it was locked. He banged on it. "Reese? Dewey? Unlock the door right now!" Malcolm banged some more, his face turning red with anger. Finally, he heard a click from the other side. He waited for whoever was in there to open up but the door remained closed. Malcolm cautiously turned the knob and eased the door open, slowly stepping inside the room. He didn't see anyone and briefly wondered if he had gone crazy. Then he noticed the lump of blankets and sheets on Reese's bed was moving. He walked over.

"Reese? Are you hiding?" Malcolm laughed at his brother's odd behavior and wondered if this was part of some elaborate practical joke. "Reese, are you in there?" Malcolm reached down and poked the lump. He heard a muffled grunt in response. He poked again and this time he heard the unmistakable sound of his brother's voice telling him to go to hell.

"Reese, are you ok?" Malcolm found a space not occupied by the mound of bed covers and sat down. He put his hand on what he thought must be Reese's shoulder but it was hard to tell with him completely covered up like that. "Did something happen at school? Did you get in trouble again?"

"No."

"Are you hurt? Are you sick?"

"No and no."

"If I lock the door and promise to listen, will you come out from under there and talk to me?"

Malcolm saw a head shaped lump move up and down.

"Was that a yes?"

"Yes."

Malcolm went to the bedroom door and locked it, for good measure he propped a chair against it, just in case their mom or dad used the key. He went back over and sat on the bed.

"Ok, it's locked." Malcolm carefully pulled back the blankets until he saw his brother's face. Reese slowly sat up, swinging his legs around and putting his feet on the floor. He tossed the covers aside. Malcolm sat next to him and stared, wondering what the hell kind of mess Reese had gotten into this time.

"It's the play." Reese stared at his feet.

"Oh." Malcolm remembered this was the day of the audition. "Jeez, man, I'm sorry you didn't get the part, I'm really sorry. I know you said you didn't care but I saw how hard you worked on it. You'll still get the extra credit for auditioning, right? So it's not all bad."

"_I got the part_," Reese blurted out. "I got the stupid part ok? I really wanted to do this and show you I'm not the dumb ass loser that you think I am and I can actually do something smart and fun and cool. _I got the fucking part!"_

Malcolm was genuinely confused. "If you got the part then why were you hiding under your covers? And I don't think you're a loser! I wish to god you would stop saying that."

Reese stood up and retrieved his backpack from his desk. He tossed it to Malcolm. "That's why. And I wasn't hiding, I was just thinking." Malcolm unzipped the pack and looked inside.

"Go ahead," Reese commanded, "go ahead and pull it out."

Malcolm pulled out the only thing inside, a skin colored blob of some kind of synthetic material, it felt incredibly smooth and was impossibly thin. He stared at it. "What the hell is this thing?"

Reese grabbed it and held it up by the shoulders so his brother could see it better.

"Is that a leotard?" Malcolm had never actually seen one up close before. "Is that a part of your costume?"

Reese wiped his eyes. "It's a unitard and no, it's not a part of my costume. _It is my costume_."

"Oh. I can see why you might be a little embarrassed, but hey, it's just a costume, right? Wearing crazy costumes is half the fun of being in a play. What do you wear with it?"

Reese stared at his brother. "Nothing, weren't you listening? I wear nothing with it. I'm supposed to prance around bare ass naked with just this fucking thing on! No underwear, no jock strap, nothing! They told me underwear would spoil the lines and it would look stupid. I'm not going to do it!"

Malcolm suppressed the sudden urge to laugh but he knew if he did it would devastate Reese and then Reese would devastate his face with his fist. "Nothing? Jeez that thing is really flimsy. Does your junk show through?"

"It's padded in the front and forms a pouch that sticks out so you can't actually see my dick. The back isn't padded at all and you can see everything very clearly, even my ass crack, I might as well be naked. That's what Mr. Howard would like anyway, he said in big city productions my part is usually played nude and this is the next best thing."

"Did you try it on at the theater?" Malcolm was trying to picture what Reese actually looked like wearing that thing.

"Oh yeah, they made me put it on and walk around the stage. I felt like I was completely naked and everybody was staring at my ass." Reese threw the hated garment in the corner and sat next to Malcolm. "I'm just not going to do it. I really, really wanted to be in the play but not like this." Reese choked back some tears. "It just pisses me off because I worked so hard to get that part."

"Listen, maybe it's not all that bad, put it on and let me see what it looks like, I bet it's not nearly as bad as you think. After all they wouldn't make you wear something that was actually obscene. Go ahead and put it on, maybe we can figure something out." Malcolm felt guilty; he just wanted to see Reese walk around in it.

"If you laugh I will beat you to death with a bat!" Reese meant every word and Malcolm knew it. He promised he would not even think about laughing.

Reese stripped. He took off every stitch of clothes he was wearing; only hesitating a little bit before pulling off his underwear. He walked over to the corner, squatted down, and retrieved the crumpled unitard. Malcolm had seen all of his brothers naked before but usually it was just a brief glimpse when one of them was getting in or out of the shower. Now, Reese was naked and walking around right in front of him. Malcolm grabbed a pillow and put it on his lap.

Reese placed his desk chair directly in front of his brother and sat. "It took me forever to figure out how to put this damn thing on." He stuck one leg through the neck hole and down into one of the leg openings. He repeated the process and stood, pulling the tight garment up over his ass. He tugged at the front and his dick and balls flopped up and into the suit. He put his left arm in, then his right, and pulled it all the way up. The neck formed a tight circle just below his throat.

Malcolm had a full erection pushing painfully against his zipper; he reached down and adjusted himself under the pillow. Reese looked, well, he looked hot!

"Reese, holy shit man, you look really good in that thing. I wish to god I had your build and if I did I would be super proud of it and have no problem wearing that on stage. Turn around; I want to see what it looks like in the back, walk around the room." Malcolm quietly reached into his left jeans pocket and took out his phone. He had to get a picture of this.

Reese turned around and walked to the bedroom door, double checking that it was locked and that the chair was tightly placed under the door knob. His ass cheeks were plainly visible and bounced with every step. The unitard shaped itself into a second skin and clung so tightly to each cheek that his ass crack was clearly outlined. From a distance it looked like he was in fact nude. It would be almost impossible to tell from the audience that he had anything on at all. Malcolm snuck several pictures of his brother and quickly put away the phone before Reese turned around.


	5. Chapter 5

"Malcolm, get the door!" Lois screamed at her son while sneaking a smoke under the kitchen exhaust fan. She was also sneaking a couple of hits from the vodka bottle Hal kept in the back of the freezer, she was sneaking a lot of things lately, it was how she coped.

"It's ok, mom, I got it! It's Stevie; we're going to work on our physics project."

Malcolm swung the front door open wide and stood out of the way as Stevie Kenarban rolled his cumbersome chair into the house. "Hi (wheeze) Malcolm. Ready to do some work?"

"Hey Stevie, yeah, let's knock this thing out!" Malcolm led the way to his bedroom, not that Stevie needed leading; he had been in the Wilkerson home dozens of times and knew every square inch of the small house. "We've got the room to ourselves; Reese is at play rehearsal and Dewey's over at Chad's."

"I have a (wheeze) surprise for you." Stevie grinned and pulled a folder out of his book bag and handed it to his friend. Malcolm looked puzzled and opened it.

"An Analysis of Superstring Theory, by Malcolm Wilkerson and Stephen Kenarban." Malcolm flipped through it, impressed. This was the completed project they had been working on for the last two weeks, Stevie had finished it and printed it out, it was ready to hand in the next morning.

"Stevie, I could kiss you!"

"Ah, please don't! You're a very nice boy but I'm not ready for that kind of a (wheeze) relationship!"

Both boys laughed. "So, what do you want to do? We've got the whole afternoon to kill." Malcolm flopped down on his bed while Stevie set up his new laptop on Malcolm's desk.

"Is Reese really going to be in that play? He doesn't seem like the Shakespearean type." Stevie did not like Reese at all and had always been honest about his feelings towards him. "I thought his (wheeze) taste in literature ran along the lines of Curious George and My Pet Goat." Stevie laughed. Malcolm almost ignored the mean spirited comment but he decided to speak up.

"Listen Stevie, I know you hate Reese and he's played some pretty crappy tricks on you in the past but he's really changed." Stevie looked dubious. "Besides, he's my brother and I love him so watch the shitty remarks, ok?" Malcolm blurted out that last part without thinking and it surprised him as much as it did Stevie.

"Ok, ok (wheeze). It was just a joke!" Stevie put up his hands like Malcolm was about to hit him. "So, he's really into this play? I guess that's a good thing. I'm glad he found something he loves more than (wheeze) beating up little kids."

Malcolm understood Stevie's hostility towards his brother and hoped that Reese would someday apologize to all the kids he had bullied in the past. A thought occurred to him and he laughed out loud.

"What's so (wheeze) funny?" Stevie looked at his friend curiously.

"It's nothing, man. Just a random thought." Malcolm maintained his composure for a few seconds and then cracked up again. What he was thinking about doing would be a betrayal of his brother's trust but then again Stevie is the only person in the world who would get a bigger kick out of it then Malcolm himself.

"Stevie, look, you have to promise me to never, ever, ever say anything to Reese about this, ok?" Malcolm sat up and pulled the phone from his jeans. "Do you promise?"

Stevie was intrigued. "Sure (wheeze). I promise!" The boy in the big wheelchair was a firm believer in the power of crossed fingers. Promises made while you had your fingers crossed didn't count. This had to be something really good and the fact that Malcolm was worried it would hurt Reese if it got out made it seem all the more fun. "I swear never, ever, ever (wheeze) to ever say anything about whatever you have." Stevie had crossed the fingers of both hands while speaking.

Malcolm stood up and pulled his desk chair around and placed it right next to Stevie's wheelchair. He fussed around with his phone and pulled up the series of images he had been looking for, pictures of Reese he had secretly taken a few weeks earlier. He held up the phone so Stevie could see.

"Holy shit! (wheeze) Is that Reese? Is he naked?" Stevie's mouth literally hung open as Malcolm scrolled through the photos.

"No, he's not naked but it sure looks like he is, right? He's wearing a flesh colored unitard, it's his costume for the play. If you look closely you can see the lines right above his wrists and ankles, and right below his neck."

"That's all he's going to wear? He's actually going to walk out on stage in that (wheeze) thing?" Stevie laughed so hard he couldn't catch his breathe and Malcolm had to dig around in his book bag for his rescue inhaler. He handed it to him.

"Oh man, thanks!" Stevie inhaled deeply a few times and seemed better. "Malcolm, (wheeze) I have an idea."

Against his better judgment, Stevie had talked Malcolm into letting him download one of the pictures of Reese prancing around in his unitard. He had picked the one where he was turning around and you could see his face in full profile; there was no doubt that it was indeed Reese Wilkerson in the photo. Malcolm had almost been caught taking that one.

Stevie had always been a whiz at Photoshop and he set to work modifying the picture like a pro. First, he airbrushed out the lines where the garment stopped and skin began, next he deepened the shadow along Reese's ass crack and even added in a few pimples on his butt and back. The boy in the picture appeared to be totally and convincingly naked. Both Malcolm and Stevie giggled.

"You say (wheeze) that he's playing some sort of fairy?" Stevie's fingers flew over the keyboard as he spoke. He was searching for images.

"Yeah, a fairy, a spirit of the air, that's what it says in the play." Malcolm was fascinated by Stevie's art skills and was slightly jealous. He had never shown any kind of artistic, creative or musical talent, although he had tried at one time or another writing fiction, drawing, and playing an instrument, all of which had ended in utter failure.

Stevie had found an image of a toy magic wand made for little girls. It was bright pink and had purple and red streaming ribbons attached to it and a big silver star at the top. He had it resized and cut from its original background in no time. In the picture he was working on, Reese had his right hand extended as he was turning around. Stevie skillfully pasted the wand onto Reese's hand and added a trail of pink sparkles that swirled around his body. Malcolm looked at the result and doubled up with laughter.

There was a loud knock on the bedroom door. "What on Earth is going on in there? I thought you boys were supposed to be studying!"

"Sorry mom! We'll keep it down. Stevie just told me a really funny physics joke."

The boys waited for Lois to walk away before continuing. "Wait, I'm not finished!" Stevie had called up an old school photo of Malcolm's.

"Hey, where'd you find my picture?" Malcolm was a little creeped out.

"Oh, you'd be surprised what can be found on the (wheeze) internet." Stevie cut and pasted Malcolm's face into the lower right hand corner of Reese's transformed photo. He added a talk balloon, like you see in comics. He typed in the text: "Hi, my name is Malcolm and this is my older brother, Reese. He wants to be a fairy and as you can see he's really coming along!"

Stevie pressed a key and the picture went full screen. The result was hysterically funny. It depicted a big, clumsy looking, naked teenage boy flitting around and waving a pink magic wand, leaving a trail of glitter while his little brother provided commentary.

Malcolm erupted into deep, huge, belly laughs, his eyes watered he was laughing so hard. Stevie took a few hits from his inhaler and joined in the laughter. It was the funniest thing either boy had ever seen.

"Boys! Don't make me come in there!" Lois screamed half heartedly through the closed door. The two boys both put their hands over their mouths and tried to control their laughter, which eventually quitted down and became random giggles.

"Stevie, you have to destroy that!"

Before Malcolm could react, Stevie snapped the laptop closed. "Buddy, it's been fun but I (wheeze) have to get going." Stevie packed up his book bag and started to roll towards the bedroom door. He left the completed physics paper on Malcolm's desk. "Don't forget (wheeze) to hand that in tomorrow."

Malcolm stood in front of Stevie's chair. "Promise me that you won't show that picture to anyone and you'll delete it as soon as you get home." He looked deadly serious.

"I (wheeze) promise." Stevie had his fingers crossed.


	6. Chapter 6

It was opening night. The theater was packed and backstage the actors were going over their lines one last time. The stage manager ran around checking a thousand little details and Mr. Howard, the director, was shaking everyone's hand and wishing them luck. Reese was pacing around nervously when the director grabbed him by the shoulder and forced him to stop.

"My boy, you are simply beautiful!" Reese had gotten used to wearing the unitard and was actually proud of the way it showed off his physique. He was wearing makeup that highlighted his large eyes and his high cheekbones. Using a very thick gel, the theater's stylist had formed a row of prefect little spikes with his hair that ran from front to back on top of his head, almost like a rooster's comb. The old wardrobe lady had glued little rectangles of silver and gold foil all over Reese's costume and when he was on stage, the lights danced around his body as if by magic. The total effect was stunning; Reese looked like something from another world.

Mr. Howard hugged the young man, patted him on the back and wished him luck. "I know you will be my best Ariel, ever! We all get butterflies before an opening you know, I'm sure you will be just terrific!"

Late as always, the Wilkerson's arrived at the theater only minutes before show time. They proudly walked down to the second row where Reese had reserved seats for them. On the way, Malcolm had spotted Stevie Kenarban sitting in the back in one of the handicapped areas. The boys exchanged waves and Malcolm wondered why Stevie would actually come out to support someone he clearly despised.

The lights went down, dramatic music swelled up and after a minute or so the curtain slowly rose. The set was very modern and bleak and there was a large video screen hanging at the back of the stage where various images were displayed when the scenes changed. The lighting was impressive, with lots of reds and blues, bathing the entire set in a colorful gloom.

The first act went off flawlessly. Reese was very good and Malcolm was deeply proud of him. For maybe the first time in his life, he was sincerely happy to be related to the big goof. He even told the people in the surrounding seats that Ariel was being played by his very own big brother, everyone nodded and seemed impressed. The elderly couple in the front row turned around and told Malcolm that he was very fortunate to have such a talented and handsome boy for his brother. He beamed.

On a hunch, Malcolm turned around and looked for Stevie. The handicapped teen had his laptop out and was busily working on something. Malcolm felt uneasy and turned back to face forward. His eyes fell on the video screen at the back of the stage. He turned back around to look at Stevie, and back again. He began to worry.

Act Two had started and everything went smoothly until it was time for Reese to enter and deliver a long speech. Malcolm turned around and looked at Stevie, this time the boy was smiling from ear to ear and his right index finger was poised over the keyboard in a very dramatic fashion. Malcolm figured out what was about to happen. He jumped from his seat and tripped over his neighbors as he desperately tried to get to Stevie before he could push the key that would destroy his brother's self-confidence. He didn't make it.

Just as Reese began his speech, the video display changed. Malcolm heard gasps and then laughter, he forced himself to turn around and look. There it was, displayed in high def and on an insanely large screen. He stared at up the altered picture of a bare assed Reese waving a little girls fairy wand and Malcolm providing commentary. The entire audience howled with laughter, including Hal, Lois, and Dewey. Malcolm was mortified. He was standing in the aisle and watched in agony as Reese looked up at the screen, his brother seemed completely devastated. Reese stared at the horrible picture in disbelief and shouted a single word, "WHY?" Malcolm knew that word was directed at him.

The curtain came down and the house lights went up.

Someone said, "Hey, that's the kid from the picture." Now, everyone was staring at Malcolm, convinced he was the mastermind behind ruining the play. He looked at the back of the theater and saw his former friend laughing and pointing along with the rest of the audience.

"Fuck you, Stevie Kenarban! And fuck all of you for laughing! I did NOT do this!" Malcolm was shaking with a combination of emotions including rage, embarrassment and above all, with sorrow and sympathy for Reese. He had to find him and tell him he did not do this. He ran up the steps at the side of the stage and went behind the curtain. It was pure chaos.

The actors were extremely angry and when they saw Malcolm they shouted at him to leave. He ignored them and demanded to know where his brother had gone. One of the stage crew told him he had seen Reese heading up the stairs that led to the roof. Malcolm ran as fast as he could, his heart was pounding and he felt like he wanted to cry. He knew his brother would think he had done this awful thing. He couldn't stand the thought that he might in fact be to blame for all of this; he should never have let Stevie have the photo. Hell, he should never have taken it in the first place. He had to find Reese and explain how Stevie had betrayed them both and tell him he was sorry.

Malcolm was out of breath as he reached the top of the long staircase and bolted through the door that lead out to the roof. Reese was standing very close to the edge and looking down; his bare toes were actually hanging off into space. Malcolm was frozen with terror; he did not want to do anything that would startle his very upset brother. He walked over to him slowly, taking long deep breaths as he walked.

Without looking up Reese spoke. "Stay right there Malcolm, or I swear to God I'll jump."

Malcolm stopped in his tracks. It was six stories to the street below and a fall from that height would most likely be fatal. He had to stay calm. He spoke softly, desperately trying to hold back his tears and praying his voice wouldn't break.

"Reese, it was Stevie Kenarban. He hacked into the theater's computer system and put up that picture. By the time I figured out what he was up to, it was too late. Please believe me, _I didn't do this_. I love you, Reese, I'd never hurt you like this. I told everybody who would listen how proud I was of you and that the kid, no, the _man_ playing Ariel was my big brother. Reese, I didn't do this!"

Reese turned to face Malcolm, his whole body shaking with anger and betrayal. He screamed at his brother. "How did Stevie get that picture in the first place? I knew you were secretly taking pictures of me that day I modeled the costume for you but I didn't think you would use them to fucking destroy my life you little shit!" Reese's anger was getting the better of him, his face was wet with tears and spit flew from his mouth as he shouted. "I thought we were friends! How could you do this to me? I don't care about the stupid play! I just wanted you to be proud of me! How could you do this to me?" Reese screamed even louder. "I HATE YOU! STAY AWAY FROM ME! I FUCKING HATE YOU! I HATE YOU!" Reese began to lose his balance and Malcolm ran forward to help him.

"I hate you," was the last thing he heard before Reese stumbled backwards off the roof.

The police found Malcolm 30 minutes later, crying hysterically and screaming his dead brother's name. He was tearing out big chunks of his own hair as he wailed.

There were witnesses, audience members who had come out of the theater and had seen the commotion on the roof. They saw Malcolm apparently trying to help his brother and they saw how Reese had accidently backed himself over the edge. No charges were filed.

Two police officers gently escorted Malcolm to the EMT unit waiting on the street below. At the emergency room, a woman doctor knocked him out with a very powerful sedative. The boy's mind had shattered as he had rushed to the edge of the theater's roof and watched helplessly as Reese plunged to his death. He hoped maybe he would somehow survive the fall but just as his body hit the street, a city bus drove over him, squashing the costumed young man like a bug.


	7. Chapter 7

Stevie Kenarban was eventually charged with illegally hacking into the theater's computer system which, considering the outcome was a complete slap on the wrist. He had tried to apologize but none of the Wilkersons was in any mood to see or hear from the little bastard that had caused the death of one of their own.

Each family member was reacting to the tragedy in a different way. Lois was stoic as ever, directing the everyday chores of the household and making sure everyone was fed and had clean clothes. Hal had taken to drinking non-stop and spent hours at the kitchen table looking at photos of the boys growing up. Dewey had turned off his emotions and acted like a robot. No one had seen him smile or play since the accident. Everyone had a bad feeling about that and was prepared for Dewey to eventually collapse into a sobbing mess.

Francis and Piama arrived the day after Reese's death. They were the only ones in the house that exhibited any sign of normalcy. Francis immediately noticed Malcolm was acting very strangely.

At the hospital, the doctor told Hal and Lois that Malcolm was suffering from severe emotional trauma and he was in shock. He was also suffering from a form of retrograde amnesia and a regression to earlier childhood. In plain English, Malcolm had no memory of the horrible events he had witnessed and he seemed to be mentally about 5 years old. Many people with this condition get better, however some do not. If that was the case here, his parents realized he would require care for the rest of his life.

When Malcolm saw Francis he tried to jump into his arms, apparently unaware that his body was far too large to be held by his oldest brother. "Francis! Francis! I love Francis!" Malcolm danced around the living room as Dewey stared at him with a blank expression and Lois just looked worried. Hal didn't react at all and was too deep into an alcoholic trance to care.

Later that night, Lois asked Francis to put Malcolm to bed. He eventually got him into his PJ's after 20 minutes of squirming, wrestling, and an incident where Malcolm streaked the rest of the family by running through the living room naked. Eventually Francis prevailed. He lovingly tucked his brother in and asked him if he understood what was going to happen the next day at the funeral.

"Buddy, do you know where we are all going tomorrow?" Francis smiled as Malcolm nodded his head.

"We're going to see Reese!" The smile faded from the older boy's lips as Malcolm gave him a big toothy grin.

"That's right, buddy. Tomorrow is for Reese, do you understand why?" Francis had a bad feeling about this conversation.

"We're gonna go see Reese in his play! I love Reese! I love Francis! I love mom! I love dad! I love plays!" Malcolm was getting excited again.

"Settle down, buddy. You have to go to sleep soon." Francis remembered his mom's advice about the sedative; if he couldn't get Malcolm to sleep right away then give him one spoonful of the blue liquid. "Here you go buddy, put this in your mouth and swallow, here's some water to help it down." Francis held the glass to his brother's lips and wondered if he would ever be ok again.

"Francis, can we get ice cream after the play? Reese likes ice cream and I do too!" Malcolm yawned and Francis was impressed at how fast the sedative was working.

"Sure buddy, we can get ice cream."

"Francis, will Reese come home after the play? I miss him!" Malcolm thankfully rolled over and went to sleep before Francis had to answer. He held his emotions together just long enough to lock himself inside the bathroom. He cried for a solid hour.

The next day was hot and muggy, adding to the general air of misery. Malcolm had seemed a little better, he no longer was acting like a 5 year old but he still had no memory of the tragedy that had befallen his family. He sat in silence throughout the long church service but seemed to make no connection to the big shiny box in the aisle. He actually wondered what was inside it.

Everyone piled back into their cars for the short drive to the cemetery. The priest droned on for 20 minutes or more. It was painfully hot and humid and the sky was turning dark as thunderstorms moved into the area. Malcolm Wilkerson tugged at his tie and felt light headed. He didn't care what his mom thought; he stripped off the light weight sport jacket she had forced him to wear and threw it to the ground.

Malcolm's eyes went in and out of focus. He had no memory of moving but he found himself standing next to his dad, holding a handful of dirt for some reason. Malcolm wondered if this was still the play, he wondered where Reese was, he wondered why he felt so sad all of a sudden. The guy playing the priest just said Reese's name, something snapped inside of Malcolm's head as reality came slamming back.

" … earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust."

Malcolm screamed. He sobbed so hard he couldn't breathe. He fell to his knees. He remembered everything.

"I'm sorry, Reese. I'm so fucking sorry!" Malcolm sat down in the dirt next to the grave and cried, pushing away everyone who tried to help him up or offer comfort.

"Dude, quit acting like such a big wuss bag, it's embarrassing."

Malcolm looked to his left and saw Reese sitting on the ground next to him, all decked out in the suit they had just buried him in; he looked happy. "Reese? Are you ok?"

The Wilkersons realized that their emotionally damaged son now seemed to be talking to his brother's ghost. Lois turned away; she simply couldn't deal with this. She fished the flask out of her purse and took a big hit of vodka.

"Dude, I'm dead. Aside from that, yeah I'm ok, it's not so bad."

Malcolm tried to hug his brother but his arms simply passed through him.

"You can't hug me; sorry about that but I don't make the rules. Anyway, I'm here to talk about you, not me. Look man, you have to pull yourself together, the family needs you. Dewey is about to crack wide open and dad is trying to drink himself into a coma. Did you know that Francis locked himself in the bathroom last night and cried because of something you said?"

"No way! Francis doesn't cry!" Malcolm felt defensive.

"Trust me, he does. The whole family is in pain, dude and they need you to stop being crazy. Like right now, stop being crazy and help the people who love you."

Reese began to fade as Malcolm felt himself regain his composure. "Wait! Don't go yet, man. I miss you so much, I love you so much."

"I'll always love you, dude, and I know you will always love me. I promise one day we will be together again. Now go and help our family. I love you, Malcolm, goodbye." Ghost Reese was gone.

Malcolm stood and wiped his eyes with his dirt stained hands, leaving dark marks on his face. It would have been comical under any other circumstance. He dusted himself off, knocking the dirt from his pants. He walked to his family who had been waiting a respectful distance away while Malcolm worked out his craziness.

He spoke softly. "Let's go home." Malcolm climbed into the back seat with Dewey and Francis. "Let's go home. We have some healing to do."


End file.
